civility

American  

[si-vil-i-tee] / sɪˈvɪl ɪ ti /

noun

• civilities
  plural

1. courtesy; politeness.

   Synonyms:

   tact, amiability, affability

2. a polite action or expression.

   an exchange of civilities.

3. Archaic. civilization; culture; good breeding.

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civility British  

/ sɪˈvɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. politeness or courtesy, esp when formal

2. (often plural) an act of politeness

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overcivility
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• civilities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of civility

1350–1400; Middle English civilite < Middle French < Latin cīvīlitāt- (stem of cīvīlitās ) courtesy. See civil, -ity

Explanation

Civility is the act of showing regard for others by being polite, like the civility you showed in speaking kindly to someone who has hurt your feelings. Civility comes from the Latin word civilis, meaning "relating to public life, befitting a citizen," in other words, being friendly and nice to everyone. When you show civility, you use kindness and good manners. You are respectful, even if you do not like that person very much. Civility can also mean formal politeness, like your behavior at a fancy dinner.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

civility civilities

His covert operation to sneak within the city walls was a betrayal of bedrock beliefs about honor and civility, a shameful act that brought humanity into a darker age.

From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026

Some staff described concerns about a lack of "civility" between different teams working under stress, and managers who lacked awareness of "the reality of daily pressures".

From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026

“We’ve seen an uptick in, maybe, a degradation of civility in the airspace,” Duffy said at Newark Liberty International Airport in late November.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026

By the time I arrived in Albuquerque several years on, they were past annoyed, past concern, well past neighborhood civility.

From Slate ● Mar. 25, 2026

Freedom without civility, freedom without the ability to live in peace, was not true freedom at all.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

“No one looks at you, no one assesses you. It lifts the tiny anvil of self-consciousness. You can go anywhere, unimpeded by the microaggressions of strangers, the obligatory, waterlogged civilities of friends and acquaintances.”

From Washington Post ● Sep. 14, 2022

Furthermore, the panel ignored half a century of declining institutional civilities.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 21, 2020

Begin to focus and gain ground on what is required which is political reconciliation and a return to civilities.

From New York Times ● Mar. 10, 2018

Perhaps, too, there's an allusion to the cursed difficulty of writing a poem which, without a false note, celebrates the post-industrial English civilities of riverside parkland, sports pitches, strolling couples and kite-flyers.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 18, 2013

They were soon gone again, rising from their seats with an activity which took their brother by surprise, and hurrying off as if eager to escape from Mrs. Bennet’s civilities.

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

Related Words

• comity
• courtesy
• decorum
• politeness
• propriety
• respect